Форт №5

“Fort No. 5” is an outstanding site of military history and fortification art, located in the Arkadia neighborhood of Brest. It is part of the Brest Fortress and one of its best-preserved forts. Built at the end of the 19th century, the fort now serves not only as a historical monument but also as a full-fledged museum attracting tourists from all over Belarus and abroad. Thanks to its well-thought-out infrastructure and rich museum exhibition, the fort is actively included in tours across Belarus, including in tours from Minsk. This is a place where history comes alive, and every visitor can feel the atmosphere of past times.

In 1995, Fort No. 5 was officially added to the State List of Historical and Cultural Values of the Republic of Belarus and assigned the second category of significance. Its activities are supervised by the state cultural institution “Museum of the War – Territory of Peace”. Today, the fort is open to visitors, and anyone interested can book a tour with a guided visit of this unique structure.

History of Construction

The fort was laid out at the end of the 19th century as part of the ring defense system of the Brest-Litovsk Fortress — one of the most powerful defensive complexes of the Russian Empire. Its construction was necessitated by the strengthening of the western borders of the empire against the backdrop of growing tensions in Europe. The complex included numerous forts, and Fort No. 5 became one of the key defense points on the western front.

The fort was designed to accommodate artillery, combat crews, engineering units, and had autonomous systems for water supply and ammunition storage. Special attention was paid to anti-mine protection and camouflage. After World War I, it temporarily lost its military significance but remained in good condition and during World War II again found itself at the center of events. Today, archival documents, relics, and photographs tell the story of its construction, the fate of the Brest garrison soldiers, and the fort’s role in regional history.

Architecture of the Fort

The architectural design of Fort No. 5 is a classical example of late-period fortification architecture: concrete caponiers, semi-caponiers, bastion, gorge, traverses, and underground galleries (poterns). All elements were constructed with consideration of artillery threats, mine dangers, and the need for autonomous defense.

The museum exhibition is of particular value, displayed both inside the fort and on the surrounding grounds. On the open-air weapons platform, visitors can see nine Soviet artillery pieces from the Great Patriotic War and a BTR-60 armored personnel carrier from the 1960s, donated by the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus. These exhibits provide insight into the development of military technology in the 20th century.

The interior halls include the exhibition “Western Outpost of the Fatherland,” which tells the story of the construction of the Brest Fortress forts, the fate of military engineers, and the garrison of the late 19th – early 20th century. The underground passages and casemates, filled with the spirit of the military era, make the visit especially atmospheric and captivating.

Guided Tours of the Fort

Excursion services at the fort are organized professionally: four museum researchers with higher degrees in history and an experienced guide-interpreter fluent in English work here. This makes the site attractive for both local tourists and foreign visitors.

The most popular is the guided tour “I, Fort No. 5, Testify.” During this tour, participants can: learn about the construction of the Brest Fortress and the history of the fort itself, hear biographies of the military engineers involved in the fortifications, view the temporary photo exhibition “Western Outpost of the Fatherland,” explore the open-air artillery exhibit, walk through underground galleries, caponiers, bastions, and other defensive structures.

The tour is accompanied by stories about military life, the use of the fort during different historical periods, and facts not found in typical guidebooks. You can book a tour with a guided visit in advance. This is an excellent opportunity to include Fort No. 5 in your tour across Belarus.